Earth-working device



Dc. 17, 1940. B. RBENJAMIN y 2,225,204 EARTHY-WORKING DEVICE Fiied Aug. e, 1959 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 I PATENT OFFICE EARTH-WORKING DEVICE Bert R; Benjamin, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation vof New Jersey Application August 9, 1939, Serial No. 289,142

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an earth-working device and more particularly to a device ofthe type adapted to be used in forming pits or basins as generally used for conserving moisture and for preventing soil erosion. The invention particularly contemplates the use of such devices in onjunction with a draft vehicle, such as a trac- The principal object of the present invention is to provide a pitor basin-forming device which will form pits or basins in the eld at such positions as to leave substantiallyuncut portions to serve as wheel tracks or paths for subsequent operation of the vehicle over the eld.

An important object is to provide such a device in the form of a vehicle-connected support including a pair of soil-cutting members closely spaced apart transversely a distance substantially equal to the width of a wheel, the device being arranged generally in the longitudinal plane of the wheel.

Another important object is to mount a plurality of such devices on a tractor both for increasing the amount of pits or basins to be formed and for forming such pits with respect to a plurality of wheels on the vehicle.

Another object is to utilize such devices in conjunction with preparations for a subsequent planting operation wherein a marking device ls associated with the vehicle for marking out in the field lines designating the positions of subsequent rows, the devices being related to such lines so as to form pits respectively sides thereof. y

Another object is to provide a device in the form of a support rotatably carrying a pair of tilling elements in the form of disks.

Another object is to mount the disks on the support with their axes of 'rotation arranged at acute angles to the plane of longitudinal movement of the device. n

Still another object is to mount the disks on the support with their axes of rotation angularly related. V

Still another object is to mount each disk for rotation on an axis spaced radially from its true center, thus providing a deep-cutting and a shallow-cutting portion.v l

Still another object is to arrange the disks at opposite sides of the support with the deep-cutting portion of one generally opposite the shallow-cutting portion of another for cutting the soil at spaced, staggered points.

And, still another object is to provide means interconnecting the disks for conjoint rotation.

at opposite n .Brieily and specifically these and other desirable objects are achieved'in one preferred form of the invention by the provision of a basinforming device which is utilized in, conjunction with a tractor having front and rear wheels. A basin-forming device is disposed generally longitudinally rearwardly of each wheel and each device comprises a pair of transversely spaced, eci centrically mounted disks rotatably carried on a tractor-connected support or draft element, the axes of rotation of the disks being angularly related. The disks are carried for rotation on angularly related shafts interconnected at their inner ends by bevel gears to provide for conjoint rotation of the disks. A marking device isalso associated with the tractor for marking the iield in lines for subsequent row-crop treatment, at least one of the basin-forming devices bearing a definite relation to the line thus marked, so that staggered pits are formed at opposite sides of a previously marked line.

The principle involved in the use of the marking device in conjunction with the pit-forming device embraces the function of so treating the eld during the pit-forming operation as to eliminate the use of the marking devices when thel `ileld is subsequently row-planted.

A more complete understandingof the aforesaid and other objects and certain desirable features of the invention may be had from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the use of the invention and its function in preparing a field by forming pits therein;

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged plan view of a preferred form of pit-forming device showing its relation to the rear portion of a tractor; and,

Figure 3 is a side view of the same.

A preferred form of the invention has been illustrated in connection with a tractor of the tricycle type having a longitudinallyextending, narrow body 4 carried at its iront end on a steerable fronttruck 5 and at its rear on a pair of transversely spaced rear ground supports or wheels 6. The main body 4 includes also a centrally disposed, rearwardly extendingv transmission part 1 having oppositely extending transverse axle housings 8 journaling drive axles 9 for driving `50 n provides means for interconnecting the elements s and shallow-cuttingportions infalternate frela- .frame il includes right hand.lefthand. and cenously, but it will be understood that individual ture of `the ,inventiom Ithe :tractor is provided witha pairrof devices at the right and left hand sides thereof,` las atllrfand ,respectively. ,devices may tbe `of conventional construction andyare lillustrated'only diagrammatically in Figure `l. It will be-understood that 2 v v oppositeends tothe rear axle housings I. t This ter earth-working devices Il, Iland Il,` respec-` tively.` Each device includes a support ordraft element in the form of a longitudinally extending, bar` member il rigidly connected atitsforward end kto the first yframe ".1 Each device further x appropriate lifting means may be-wprovided for includes a secondary supporting member in the alternate aisingand` lowering themarking de.. form ,of a rearwardly extending bracket Ilhav'- x f 1 l Y n ing a rearward biiurcated end including angularly` Theinvention has been illustrated, in comuncrelated bearing portions II. l Eachdeviceis preftion with altraetorof the ,tricycle' typef'merely erablydisposed rearwardly and generallyinlongifor the purpose `of better explaining itsoperatudinal ailnement with atractor wheel, or, as may tion, "it`"will be understood that the` earthbe said, generally in the longitudinallvs'heelfplane.` working devices maybe readily usedgwithl a four- Each device includes preferablya pair? of pitn wheelf rany other typeyvehiclefwhen orbasin-forming elementsinthe form of disks i1. necessaryord n l i, L l l Each disk is carried at a `point `radially spaced' `Referring nowtoliigure i', the tractor `is illusfrom its true centerona shaft Ilfiournaledin tratedf` aslhavingyprogressedpartlyover '1a neld a bearing portion Il of the bifurcatedbracket orVv in` the, formation `ofal second plurality of rows n member Il. A pair of bevel gears ,tcarried"` `of pits or basinsafter having formedarplurality 20 respectively at the innerends of the shafts il.1` offothe'r such rowswhiletravelinglinithe oppositedirection. Each rowof pits oncomprises apluralltyhof: pairs of staggered laits".` These pits, are formed; in t staggered `relation be-` cause of the arrangement of the fll, as` previouslyfdescribed. For purposes `of clarifying the description, jthel piti rows will.` bewdesignated by the letters; A, BJC, D and E, beginning atthe top'` of the illustration inilg'ure `1`.l The rows- A and Bare-illustrated as having been previously 'formed yV the'ieft hand l and center de` vices '-f l 2- 'an'd I), frespectively, while the tractor was `traveling in `a direction `opposite ,tol that'in `which it is illustrated afstraveling. Inshortfthe first direction i of 1 travel" was `from 1 right `to left, as viewed' inli'igure-1. r `'Ihe iirstjrow; of ,pits formed` by right; hand ldevice lI I isfnot shown in -the ii -While `the tractor and Idevices` wereforming therowsiA and'land theone omittedgthe marking device Il wasmarkingthe 40 field]` `with a, longitudinal; mark, illustrated in Figure` 1 "byf thebroken line fII-L- extending down the center-of the row D.: `This line forms the center line* of ysaid row andres` `shown inthe iigurep` the staggeredpits' 1arte formed `iefsi'iec- 45 tively at opposite sides; thereof.- .The line* Il serves also as a guideffor the tractor frontvv ground support lor" wheel l when the tractor is operated in"` the direction shown. vzSince thepits lllfare spaced "transversely apart. a" generally uncut and 50 substantially level portion 1 of .they` field `remains between n the pits fand serves asa `lmgitudinal path or track traveled by the wheel LfItwill be seen at thisfpoint thatv the tractor may `1b`e subor disks Il for` conjoint rotation?" 'Iheaxes of rotation of the disks I1 are angularly relateclfand` each is disposed at an` acute anglewith respect to the longitudinal line `oftraveli of the tractor. The plane 1of Aeach `disk l`lf` generally intersects the' wheel plane of the particular wlieehbehindV Lwhich,thedevice'islocated,j` jVv j I chfdisk. because of itseccentric n'iounting,` has a larger' portion thereof disposed diametrically at `one sideof its mounting shaft Il anda smaller cutting portion or ground-engaging porl tion at the opposite side of the fshaftyil.` The larger portion may be generally spoken of as aj` deep-cutting portion Il, and the jsmallerportion as aj shallow-cutting `portion 2i; 1 In' l the x present instance, since the elements t II arecirculardlsks, the cutting; portions `2l and `It are not separate, but are included in thecontiguous extent of the disk. It will beunderstood, of course. that other types of `tilling elementsmay beutilizedwith .more or lessadvantageoua results, depending up-l on surrounding circumstances. AsV best `shown inFlgure 2, the disks I1 are spacedcloselyam transversely of a wheel planeand are'` arranged with respect to each other with the' deep-cutting tion; that is, the deep-cutting portion 2d of one disk' isgenerallytransversely Opposite the shal-` low-cutting portion of theother.I 'Ihisrelation is illustrated in `another position of Y thedisks in Figure 3. The desirability of `this particular ,i `arrangement will be realized subsequently in the description of the operation of the devices in the treatment of the field, n A` transverse rock-shaft!! is -arranged on a rear axle housing land isA appropriately con-` nected by a rearwardly extending arm 23Ia`nd a `pressurelinlr 2l to the forwardly/extending* member Il oi'` Ione of the `earth-working devices. f An operating lever 25 is rigidly connected `to one end of the rock-shaft 22 `andis` associated with a sectorl carried by thevreanaxlethousing; In, The lever 25 extends within convenient reach of an operators station?!` on `the tractor and may be operated for raising `and lowering ,the devices. x In the present instance,` the lifting, arrangement,` is such that the devices are all'lifted simultane- ,the fm'ntfwheei traveiinrlthis pathor track asi formed along :theffline II.: I The pits *Il `atthe` opposite sidesofthisline are. ofcourse. formed bv the elements ordisksilofmthencenterfdevice i3. the" disks ,thus formingV pits at 'opposite sides of thevvheel track j i'ox'` the front kwheel l. `llll'hile the tractor 'is progressing in :the `direction as illustrated. from leftito right in FigureLthe marking device `2R9-hasnbeenraised gand isthus rendered inoperative. and the marking device."` has been `lowered and` iskoperativeto mark thegfield lorica `line 82,"as illustratedin Iiigurel. "This f .l line serves asa `guiding line for the `front wheel 5 of thel tractonafte'r therows C, D and! are completed, when the direction of travel of the tractor becomes again from right to left toform three more rows'of pitssimilar to vthose already formed.` "n 'I'he location kofthe devices il|2` and Il be- `hind the wheel andi, spectively, pr vides 7:5`

liftingfmeans can be readily provided. The pressure link `24 serves inan appropriate manner .to naintain the devices in ground-engaging posiions. n y n 4 According to another important object andrea secmsnny` operated` over the prepares; seid with 55` for the formation of pits or basins at opposite sides of the respective wheels, the disks in each case being spaced transversely apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the annular tread portion of the respective wheel; the-devices thus form a plurality of paths or tracks bounded at opposite sides by spaced pits or basins.

The important principle in forming basins or pits involves the provision of alternately operable devices in order that spaced pits or basins. rather than furrows, may be formed in thesoil. The particular devices illustrated herein are Aadmirably adapted for this purpose, although it willbe understood that other pitor basin-forming devices may be utilized.y The function oi' an eccentrically mounted disk in forming pitsor basins is best disclosed in assignees Patent No. 2,136,607. Briefly, the eccentrically mounted disk cuts alternate pits in the field because of the alternately varying sizes of the portions of the disk that enter the ground. Thus, in the type of disk illustrated herein, such as l1, the deep-cutting portion 20 of the disk serves to cut the soil to a greater and then to a less extent as the disk rotates and as the shallow-cutting portion 2l engages the soil. Under certain circumstances, depending upon the nature of the soil, the shallowcutting portion 2l will enter the soil to greater or lesser extents and at times may only ride the soil surface. Since the disks are interconnected by the bevel gears I9 for conjoint rotation, the effect of the cutting thereof will be identical at all times, the bevel gears maintaining an unchangeable, timed relationship. The disks may, however, be adjusted on the shafts I8 to obtain differently spaced pits. The extent of soil penetration of the shallow-cutting portion 2i of one disk will generally determine the extent of penetration of the transversely opposite deep-cutting portion 20 of the related disk. The shallow-cutting portion 2l of the one disk serves, through the medium of the bevel gears I9, as a driver for the other disk while the deep-cutting portion of the latter is forming a pit 30. It will be understood, of course, that the pits 30 are not formed solely by the deep-cutting portions 20, since the disk peripheries are continuous and certain portions of the pits will be formed by the shallowcutting portions 2l and intermediate portions of the disk periphery between the cutting portions. This function may be readily understood from an examination of the shapes of the pits 30, as illustrated in Figure 1. As the disk l1 rotates, first a greater and then gradually asmaller portion thereof penetrates the soil; and, since the disk is arranged at an angle with respect to the longitudinal line of travel, the pit becomes gradually wider and then gradually narrower in direct proportion to the depth.` Further, since each disk has a continuous periphery, a .certain amount of loose soil will be distributed or thrown by one disk into the space between longitudinally adjacent pits, and other lesser amounts may be thrown directly on the wheel path or track that is provided between transversely adjacent pits. These latter amounts of. soil are, however, so minute as not to form serious obstacles in the paths of the tractor wheels; and this soil, being loose, is easily packed as the wheel rolls over it.

Another important feature of the invention that results from the formation of the rows of pits A, B, etc., is the elimination of marking devices in connection with subsequent planting operations. The wheel tracks or paths formed between the pits 30 serve as guiding lines for the tractor wheeiswhen the' tractor', is utilized in conjunction with a planting machine.V The may devote more attentionA tothe planter checking mechanism.

The inventionmay be further utilized in pit-V or basin-forming after crops have been planted. In such a case, the planted rows 33 are provided inthe ileldby'a prior insteadv of a subsequent operation. The tractor with its associated de-v vices Il, I2 and I`3'isthen operated overthe field, Vthe wheels 5 andr being operable intermediate the planted rows, thus preventing damage to seed hills or growing plants. The rows ofk pits A, B, etc., because of the location of the earth-working devices, are formed as before in relation to the paths or tracks of the wheels as the vehicle progresses over the field. As will be noted from the illustration in Figure 1, the pits 30 are appropriately located with respect to the plant rows 33. In this instance, where the pits are formed after the formation of the planted rows, the marking devices 28 and 29 need not be used, since the tractor may be easily guided between the planted rows. The Wheel tracks or paths thus formed may be used in guiding the tractor during subsequent cultivating.

As previously mentioned, the disks l1 operate admirably to form the desired pits, and the function thereof has been set forth somewhat in detail in order to clarify further the use of the present invention. It will be understood, of course, that other types of pit-forming devices may be substituted for the devicesillustrated and such devices or the illustrated devices may be used in conjunction with vehicles of different types; and that other alterations andmodiflcations may be made in the preferred construction described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An earth-working device comprising a support, and a pair of disks mounted thereon for rotation respectively about angularly related axes, the axis of rotation of each disk being spaced from the true center of the disk.

2. An earth-working device comprising a support, and a pair of rotatable substantially circular tilling elements mounted thereon and having angularly related axes'of rotation, each element including generally diametrically opposed soil-engaging portions disposed at different distances from its said axis of rotation.

3. An earth-working device comprising a support, and a pair of rotatable tilling elements mounted thereon and having angularly related axes of rotation, each element including generally diametrically opposed soil-engaging portions disposed at greater and lesser distances from its said axis of rotation, the greater portion of one element being arranged generally opposite the lesser portion of the other element.

4. An earth-working device comprising a support, a pair of rotatable tilling elements mounted thereon and having angularly related axes of rotation, each element including generally diametrically opposed soil-engaging portions dis- '15 `,"1'331-11'0lkl,l 4 y port, @peut o! dish` tionz respectively "about, 4free. the axig offrotationf `elch witted` fromthe `trueczentexf` of `the menne v1x1-f 9.0` tex-connecting the elemente 1px' conjoint f mannheim @nu tion.

y a e t lahm! with" My with "the respectieveliit 4williefflliqies' of the wheei track;` f mabdnmnrmndmwpnnemgnctm wivwxfrlew the` mima clgnfrleefmamma` of mue` verkl! pwedumzulsrlyreletdlldlskmmne at elch opposite sident `themath traveled bythe wheellf` i BmTmBENJAmm 2o 

